Bikes, bicycling, and road safety.

The Politics of Bicycling: Campaign 2008

March 5, 2008by julie

I’ve been poking around some on the candidate web sites to check out transportation policy proposals, particularly as relate to bicycling. This has been a bit challenging, based on how the sites are structured (and the sheer number of transportation unions out there endorsing people!).

What I’ve found so far:

As Senator, Barack Obama “supported a measure authored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) to mandate states and Metropolitan Planning Organizations create policies that incentivize greater bicycle and pedestrian usage of sidewalks and roads. As president, Obama will work to provide states and local governments with the resources they need to address sprawl and create more livable communities.” (source)

Obama also addresses the idea of integrated transportation planning that includes mass transit, walking, and bicycle access for livable communities as an energy independence issue. (source)

Hillary Clinton, in a posted webchat transcript, discusses how she used to like to bicycle down the canal in DC, although that’s not especially policy-related. (source)

Clinton also addresses the need to upgrade the US transportation infrastructure, although bicycles do not get specific call-out in the releases on the topic. (source)

If we trust Google, the word ‘bicycle’ does not exist on John McCain’s web site. Ow. There’s lots on transportation, but a good bit of it involves ex-Secretaries of the Cabinet, and transportation for the candidate and the media to various events, and due to the way the web site is constructed, filtering through the articles is making my head ache.

Julie Kosbab is an online marketing consultant and active transportation advocate living in Anoka County, Minnesota. She was one of Minnesota's only League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructors when certified in 2005. She is a past member of the National Bicycle Tour Directors Association. She has 2 children and 4 bicycles. Find her on Twitter as @betweenstations.